Five Swiss, one winner

by Emmanuel Cuénod

22/08/2012 - Five films have been chosen as possible Swiss contenders at the next Academy Awards ceremony to be held on February 24, 2013, at Hollywood’s famous Kodak Theatre.

It comes as no great surprise that the list comprises the best of Swiss films over the last year. Ursula Meier’s Sister [trailer, film focus] (photo - Special Jury Award at the 2012 Berlinale) appears alongside Nicolas Wadimoff’s Opération Libertad [trailer, film focus] (Directors’ Fortnight, Cannes 2012), Christoph Schaub’s Lullaby Ride [trailer, film focus] (screened at the Locarno Film Festival), and the Swiss box office’s two heavyweights over the last few months, Xavier Koller’s Eine wen lig, dr Dällebach Kari [trailer] (Koller won the Oscar for best film in a foreign language in 1991 with Journey of Hope) and Markus Imboden’s The Foster Boy [trailer].

Only one of these five titles will be chosen to represent Switzerland, after all the pre-selected films are screened at the Delémont-Hollywood from September 13 to 22. A five-member jury, backed by the consultative voice of the audience, will choose the final winner.

(Translated from French)